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André Jacques
General Manager
"I believe in achieving excellence in business optimization together, one exploration at a time."
Email:
Location:
Tokyo, Japan
André's Journey
André Jacques is a seasoned global executive with nearly 25 years of experience in Industry, Executive Education, and Strategy Consulting. He has held leadership roles at the board level across diverse industries and geographies, including Western and Eastern Europe and Asia. As a C-level executive at global corporations, scale-up ventures, and startups, he has demonstrated exceptional leadership and strategic vision.
In Executive Education, he has made significant contributions as Vice-Dean and Executive Board member at Porto Business School, ranked among the top 50 business schools in Europe by the Financial Times for a decade. He also launched WIT Academy, an entrepreneurial venture focused on digital business training for executives. His consulting expertise spans technology consulting, corporate innovation, and marketing, including partnerships with The Garrison Group.
André's global experience in varied cultural settings enriches his approach to driving business excellence and innovation. He holds an MBA from IE Business School, Spain, and Brown University, USA, with further studies at Erasmus Business School, The Netherlands, and IMD, Switzerland.
Work Experience
2001 - 2011
Foundations and Advancement
2011 - 2016
C-Level Leadership and Innovation
2016 - 2017
Executive Education and Talent Development
2017 - 2020
High-Tech Industry and Global Operations
2020 - Today
Entrepreneurship and Consulting
Starting as an intern, André rapidly advanced through various marketing roles, leading to his elevation as marketing director. His strategic leadership and innovation in marketing operations, product development, and campaigns drove significant milestones. Notably, he restored businesses to market-leading positions and expanded their international presence. His achievements, marked by fast-paced growth and operational excellence, continue to deliver lasting success to this day.
Within just 10 years, André Jacques achieved a C-level position in the Carlsberg Group, focusing on business, commercial strategy, and talent development. This period was marked by strong innovation leadership, driven by heavy R&D and digital business developments. His intense focus on vision generation, organizational mobilization, iteration, and co-creation enabled the effective execution of projects, contributing to significant top-line growth. André's achievements in diverse cultural settings and his ability to lead with innovation continue to deliver impactful results.
One of his most rewarding career stages was his tenure at Porto Business School (PBS), where he played a pivotal role in reinforcing PBS's position as a top-tier business school in Europe. His leadership in strategic planning, branding, service experience design, content marketing, distance learning, and internationalization drove significant growth and profitability.
At PBS, André’s passion for talent and career development shone through. He adopted a customer-centric model and guided sales and marketing efforts to new heights. His dedication to nurturing talent and fostering career growth, under the motto "make change happen," propelled PBS to greater heights, cementing its reputation for excellence and innovation in executive education.
At this stage, he significantly advanced the high-tech industry. As an in-house executive consultant based in Shanghai, he spearheaded global operations, built a skilled marketing team, refined brand identity, and launched new products, introducing the innovative concept of "pathfinding flexible manufacturing" with 3D printing solutions. As VP of Sales & Marketing at MTEX NS in Portugal, André drove the growth of packaging, labeling, and textile printing solutions, managing relationships with industry giants like Konica Minolta and Heidelberg. His efforts led to successful investment rounds and exits, incorporating companies into larger groups. His experience living in China and conducting business worldwide underscores his global expertise and strategic impact.
Recently, André Jacques embraced entrepreneurship and business consulting, becoming an expert in tech and digital sectors. He co-led a top-tier digital agency, driving sustainable growth and enhancing customer experiences, and co-founded a digital business academy that championed digital transformation and executive education, fostering lifelong learning. Both ventures, belonging to the same group of companies, culminated in a successful exit. Meanwhile, he initiated consulting for global clients, focusing on effective strategies and demand-generation tactics. Through his business development ventures, he contributed to the expansion of an outdoor entertainment venture from Switzerland. Currently, he promotes Portuguese agro-food products in Japan and Korea, showcasing his expertise in internationalization and business development. Balancing consultancy, entrepreneurship, and lecturing, André's strategic leadership and passion for innovation have driven remarkable growth and success across diverse industries and markets.